Mercedes "DieselGate" class action suit

[GravyMonster]

It seems Mercedes are set for a DieselGate problem of their own:

Law firm PGMBM filed papers at the Liverpool High Court earlier this month saying Mercedes-Benz allegedly misled customers about the levels of emissions produced by certain models of its cars and vans, sold between 2007 and 2018.

The firm says the alleged issue affected 500,000 diesel vehicles. As current and former owners of affected vehicles can join the group action, it says about one million UK consumers could be eligible to join its claim.

Two other law firms, Leigh Day and Slater and Gordon, are also investigating potential group claims against Mercedes-Benz over emissions. These claims would relate to BlueTec and AdBlue vehicles respectively.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/05/mercedes-owners-launch-group-action-legal-claim/

Has anyone else heard about this? It seems I may be eligible, although they seem vague on if it's only the 'BlueTec'/'BlueEfficiency' models that are included. Is it even worth joining regardless? I've not been involved in any class suits before. Did anyone get anything from the VW one a few years ago?

 

[peterwalkley]

From the MSE article:

PGMBM says it's optimistic that it will be able to recover £10,000 or more per vehicle if the action is successful.

But while there's no upfront fee to join the action, if it's successful PGMBM will take a cut of any compensation awarded to you, of up to 50% of the payout (including VAT).​

50% !!!! Nice work if you can get it. Although I guess if you'd owned a Merc that's relevant its free money to you if you join with minimal risk or outlay.

 

[Orionaut]

What are people being compensated for? In what way did the owners lose out as a result of the cheat devices implementation?

 

[Diddums]

What are people being compensated for? In what way did the owners lose out as a result of the cheat devices implementation?

They didn't, it's just the typical bottom feeding ambulance chasing scum trying to make a quick buck and the chronically short-changed jumping on it like rats on a dead seagull.

 

[Semple]

The VW case is still ongoing. I'd suspect VAG will drag it through the courts for many many years. The only real winners will be the lawyers.

 

[Orionaut]

They didn't, it's just the typical bottom feeding ambulance chasing scum trying to make a quick buck and the chronically short-changed jumping on it like rats on a dead seagull.

Naughty thought just popped into my head.

Can a Civil jury, when assessing damages, impose a negative sum??

EG, "We find that the victims, as a result of the implementation of the cheat device, suffered damages to the effect of that they were sold vehicles that had better performance, better reliability, and better fuel consumption than they would otherwise have had, had the cheat devices not been present".

"Accordingly, we award -£10,000 each in compensation" (Presumably to be paid, by the claimants, to Mercedes, the relevant law firm also being required to chip in too)

Probably not, but I would love to see the look on their faces should such a verdict be read out!

 

[BUDFORCE]

I don't see why not
I guess the only thing is if they win, and you do not become part of the solicitors scheme, you could probably later go against theklm yourself under the same claim and get 100%.

But provided it's s legitimate firm I honestly don't see why not.

 

[jpaul]

seems the original article is behind a non-defeatble anti addblocker


https://www.bild.de/geld/wirtschaft/daimler-ag/geheime-us-akten-belasten-daimler-54843508.bild.html
searching Bild am Sonntag Slipguard

 

[Jez]

Not sure whether to join this despite having a vehicle from this time period. There is a lengthy legal agreement to read and fully comprehend, with lines which indicate that the claimant is liable if any works are undertaken outside the agreement. Surely this will drag on for years and ultimately be a pain once subscribed?

 

[Simon]

What are people claiming for anyway. The result of any accusations could be lower VED. How did people lose out enough to get £10k?

 

[[TW]Fox]

Not sure whether to join this despite having a vehicle from this time period

What losses did you incur?

 

[hurfdurf]

What losses did you incur?

I imagine buying a car that’s advertised as doing some mpg figure but it actually does another is actionable?

 

[Orionaut]

I imagine buying a car that’s advertised as doing some mpg figure but it actually does another is actionable?

What, you mean like they all do!

in this case however. The MPG achieved might actually have been better than advertised, or otherwise expected. (Assuming official MPG and emissions testing is part of the same test)

Would getting a better MPG than advertised count as an actionable loss?

 

[jpaul]

.. The mpg is not within the specified range if you meet the legal emission requirements.

but, other than theoretical back door in their software afaik no evidence of people monitoring emissions in real life, or the adda-blue injection to confirm that they really used the back-door.

 

[Kenai]

I imagine buying a car that’s advertised as doing some mpg figure but it actually does another is actionable?

As I understand it, this isn't the issue is it? Otherwise it wouldn't just be diesel cars from particular manufacturers, it would be everything - this is related to claims of engine maps being adjusted to run a 'cleaner' combustion (or additional emission control) during a test that isn't used on the road. All this will have done is reduced your tax bill for a few years, if anything.

 

[Orionaut]

As I understand it, this isn't the issue is it? Otherwise it wouldn't just be diesel cars from particular manufacturers, it would be everything - this is related to claims of engine maps being adjusted to run a 'cleaner' combustion (or additional emission control) during a test that isn't used on the road. All this will have done is reduced your tax bill for a few years, if anything.

But the government didn't revise the tax situation after this came to light so the owners didn't lose anything.

if anybody has lost anything by this it is Customs & Excise rather than the actual owners. They have actually benefited by it rather than lost. I cant really see a compensation case here since the owners have suffered no damages (That I can see)

 

[Kenai]

But the government didn't revise the tax situation after this came to light so the owners didn't lose anything.

Yes, that was the point.

 

[[TW]Fox]

I imagine buying a car that’s advertised as doing some mpg figure but it actually does another is actionable?

This isn't what it's about.

 

[sanaxe1]

I'm picking up a 2015 diesel B class on the 4th June. I will be putting a claim in, it's absolutely disgusting what they have done and the financial damage it has caused me can't even be put into words.

 

[edscdk]

The VW case is still ongoing. I'd suspect VAG will drag it through the courts for many many years. The only real winners will be the lawyers.

This is one instance the lawyers are welcome to the money, the import thing is vw get screwed for screwing the planet and the people